Wood-building construction will now be allowed for 12-storey residential complexes
The latest change to Alberta’s building code covering wood-building construction might present new opportunities for more affordable housing in Edmonton, the city said.
The use of fire-resistant material in buildings will now be allowed for 12 storeys, up from the six storeys in the previous version of the provincial code.
Municipal Affairs Minister Kaycee Madu announced the policy shift late last week.
“Not only will this decision support the forestry industry and land developers, it will provide affordability to homebuyers, bolster employment and give Alberta a competitive advantage,” Madu stated in a news release. “We made this change knowing that mass timber products are safe and that these buildings will meet all necessary standards.”
Edmonton mayor Don Iveson hailed the revision as a welcome development.
“I think it supports market housing affordability, and if it helps us deliver public and subsidized affordable housing more cost-efficiently, that may help us in our quest to build more affordable housing as well as we look to deliver public housing for vulnerable Edmontonians,” Iveson said in an interview with Global News.
This is largely due to a resurgent economy and improving household incomes, leading to stable demand during the third quarter and offsetting market weakness brought about by oil industry troubles.
Over the year ending Q3 2019, rental vacancy rate went down to 5.3%, while average monthly rent grew by 2.6% annually to $1,155. During the same period, nearly 1,300 apartments were built in the city.
“Edmonton is anticipated to outpace most other metros in household growth over the next five years as more families and young professionals locate here,” the report noted.
